A GRADE II-Listed hotel on the western shore of Ullswater looks set to be given a facelift after planners approved a proposed new lounge bar area and extension.

The Macdonald Leeming House Hotel at Watermillock has been given the go-ahead, including Listed Building Consent, to create a new conservatory extension with a bar area for guests and visitors, and to extend and upgrade guestroom balconies.

The proposed conservatory extension is situated between the original building and the east bedroom wing, and would involve the replacement of the existing internal bar, and would provide an extra 48.1 square metres of floorspace in the area.

The design and access statement says: “The extension to the front conservatory and conversion into guest bar, replacing the small, internal bar, enables the ‘link’ element to be improved and upgraded from what is effectively, a walkway from one part of the hotel to the other, into a central guest feature, with accessibility from the reception area and access to the rear gardens.

“The extensive use of glazing provides a striking visual link, internally and externally, providing expansive views over the natural surroundings, hotel gardens and water.”

The existing conservatory (left), and the proposal (right)The existing conservatory (left), and the proposal (right) (Image: Street Design Partnership)

The application is a resubmission of a previously approved application, for which permission expired in July 2024.

The proposal also allows for the extension of terraces and balcony terraces to 12 existing guest bedrooms in the east wing of the hotel.

READ MORE: Pub can be converted into residential house due to 'no offers' received

The statement says the upgraded balconies would be glazed, ‘to take full advantage of the natural surroundings and views, with privacy screens between the bedroom terraces’.

These would provide, in total, an extra 164.9 square metres of additional floorspace over two levels.

The Lake District National Park Authority planning report explaining the decision to approve concludes: “The proposed development proposes an unashamedly modern approach to the alterations to the building.

READ MORE: Plans for upgrade to holiday park given go-ahead for submission

“I consider that this approach is appropriate, allowing the earlier historic part of the building to be more pronounced and allowing the more modern parts of the building to recede.

“The bar would project forward of the current line of the conservatory and would obscure, but not alter one of the windows of the original house.

“I consider that this would still be set far enough back that it would not compromise the character of the listed building.”